Epperson (DD 719) - Naval Cruise Book

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Cutting the Birthday Cake: QI. to r.i Com- modore Giovanetti, RMC E. Wimberly, HTFN Brown, CDR Camp with sword in handg kneeling: MS1 Mitre, MS2 Pangilinan Commander Fiodarmel, USN qret.j and Lieutenant Qj.g.i Tom Sorrowg First and Last Chief Engineer '

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-as....-:.-Qqii. f.-,..f.,-..e,.....e..f.-.'...-.. .,..-,...-.-.. .-V--1---e '- .,...--... .. . A, ,...e-. -,..,-,,-.. --,.,-ff-,-2y-1--v- p--lag-f-.-f.--1-Q---3 - 1 -V , ,. . ,nuke-1 -- . , V ,V 1 --e - , , ,, ,- .,,e,-.- aj. --.....,.-A , - .-.. ......-....... ' ' ' ' A -Y Y -- Y -- ' 'ef 'lgillfsflf o .'LL..L -4--1 +'e'5-f-f--:ees-2-inef-we-e-Q-efw.-----ff-:-gee'-Q--:M ff-f--Lfv E .. E.. -..EW .-. . . 1. . g ..,-,..s -,..... -., ..,,,...,, Escort Vessel Designed For E Fastest Work Named for a marine private who was killed in World War II, the destroyer escort Epperson, com- missioned today at the South-Bos- ton Navy Shipyard Annex, is one of the navy's answers to the potent, high-speed, long-distance tsubmarine, which has become one of the most powerful weapons of . the postwar era. , This country's latest type sub- marines have a speed of at least 25 knots submerged and it is as- sumed that several other naval , powers have ships of equal capac- ity, able to keep pace with high- .speed convoys and maneuver 1 quickly for underwater attack. Escort ships which shepherded ,convoys during World War II ihave, therefore, been outmoded 'and future convoy work will re- quire escorts of at least destroyer speed plus weapons to fight sub- marines that can stay under the water for many days without surfacing. , , Such weapons on the Epperson, 1 details of which are highly secret, iinclude the latest in radar and sonar, underwater sound devices. In addition, the new ship has twin .five-inch guns fore and aft, depth lcharge throwers, torpedo tubes, land an impressive battery of 'rocket guns. Her complement is i about 240 men. Harold Glenn Epperson, for whom the ship is named, was killed du-ring the battle of Saipan in an attempt to protect several of his comrades. His mother, Mrs. Jouett B. Epperson. lives in Win- .chester, Ky. An uncle, the Rev. George R. Wolverton of Marion, Mass., represented Mrs. Epperson at the commissioning today. USS EPPERSON COMMISSIONED INTO THE UNITED STATES NAVY ON 19 MAR 1949 Built at the Bath Iron Bath, Maine, the ship represents the work of about 800 draftsmen and shipbuilclers over a three- year period. Another destroyer is being fitted out at this yard and a third is still on the ways. More than '75 destroyers were built there during the war. The city of Bath has turned out so many ships that no records can reveal them all. -The Kennebec River once boasted 17 shipyards, busy on the construction of square riggers, Netv T pe Antisub Craft steamers. and schooners. Bv n Stan' Pliotoaralilier ' The USS Epperson. I. nevigtype autlsubmarlne destroyer escort was commissioned by Rear Ad .mlral Morton L. Deyo at the South Boston Annex of United States Navy Shipyard. The ship, named for Pvt. Harold Glenn Epperson of the United States Marine Corps Reserve, il. World War II Medal of Honor winner, is, equipped with the latest devices In ontlsubmarine warfare Built at the Bath Iron Works in Maine, the Epperson docked in Boston amid 9. swirling northeaster It ls the ilrst vessel of its type to be commissioned and is one of two belnz built under provisions of the l1lV5 s new antlsubmarine warfare program. -'4-'v2:1 w. ffzzf..-i f '-

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,ij JANUARY 1-23 24 27-28 29 SHIP SCHEDULE 1975 Inport Seattle, Wash. lnport Bangor, Wash. Underway Puget Sound Manchester Fuel Pier 29-31 Underway for San Diego and FEBRUARY 1-2 3 7 8 10-16 17-18 19-26 27 MARCH 22-26 27 AJJRIL 13 19-20 23-25 25-27 28-30 MAY Return to Seattle, Eng. Cas. Upkeep' Seattle for Evap Repair Manchester Fuel Pier and Underway for San Diego Arrive San Diego Underway for SOCAL SCREENEX, WEPTRAEX In SOCAL for COMPTUEX 1A-75 Inport San Diego In SOCAL with JOHN HANCOCK Commence DATCXTAV San Diego Enroute Seattle Commence Upkeep Seattle Tacoma for Daffodil Festival Underway Puget Sound Underway for Eureka, California Inport Eureka, Calif. for Rhodedendron Festival fwhewll Enroute Seattle, Wash. l 4 My Q I 1. .-5 'tn -F1 N. ,.,u 7,2 K x , nr k . f, um ' I ' if 1 W- JM ft, X 1, 4-5 Sub Escort Svcs USS NATHAN HALE 10 Underway Dependents Cruise 23-24 Inport Bellingham, Wa. for Blossomtime Festival 25 Enroute Seattle, Wash. JUNE Upkeep Seattle JULY 28 Jun-2 Jul Enroute San Diego 3-18 Inport San Diego DATCITAV 19 Underway SOCAL!Steering Cas. 20-21 Inport San Diego 22-26 Enroute Powell River, BC 26-28 Inport Powell River for Seafair 28 Enroute Seattle, Wash. AUGUST V 1-3 Inport Seattle for Seafair 4-8 Enroute San Diego 9-10 Inport San Diego 11-15 Underway SOCAL: COMPTUEX 1B-76 1 SELRES ACDUTRA, Midshipman Training 15-16 Enroute NSC, Oakland, Ca. 16-19 San Francisco Port Visit 20-23 Enroute Seattle, Wash. OCTOBER Commence Standdowng 1 Change of Command, LCDR RICHARDSON re- lieves CDR J. D. CAMP as Captain DECEMBER 1 DECOMMISSIONING gifffxmwf, L-ti R'.,1. V Q. I 213 1-f 1